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1 Samuel 3:1-10

Samuels Calling and Prophetic Activity

3Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room;
3the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
4Then the Lord called, Samuel! Samuel!* and he said, Here I am!
5and ran to Eli, and said, Here I am, for you called me. But he said, I did not call; lie down again. So he went and lay down.
6The Lord called again, Samuel! Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, Here I am, for you called me. But he said, I did not call, my son; lie down again.
7Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, Here I am, for you called me. Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy.
9Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for your servant is listening.